A Silver Cup- Church (NC) 1941 Brown N
[My title- transcription. The Brown title was likely assigned and "Hangman" is not mentioned in the song text--this is a good example of an absurd title taken from another version. From the Brown Collection of NC Folklore, IV, 1956 music. Brown II notes follow.
This is a rare version of the "Silver Cup" also found in Frank Proffitt's version and in Sharp I. There is also a LOC recording from 1936 by Nate Marlor titled, The Silver Cup."
R. Matteson 2015]
For preceding records of this ballad and its relation to theories of communal origin, see BSM 66, adding to the references there given New Hampshire (NGMS 117-18), Kentucky (BTFLS in 95), Tennessee (SFLQ XI 129-30), North Carolina (FSRA 35-6), Florida (FSF 295-9), Arkansas (OFS I 146-8), Missouri (OFS I 143-4, 145), Ohio (BSO 62-4), Indiana (BSI 125-7), and Michigan (BSSM 146-8 — this last being the "golden ball" form, rare in this country). In only half of the North Carolina texts is it a woman that waits to be freed from the gallows ; in versions B C E K L it is a man, and in D the sex is indeterminate. D is the only one of our texts in which the song has been turned into a play.
N. 'Hangman, Hangman.' Sung by Steve Church. From previous recording of Dr. W. A. Abrams, Boone, September 14, 1941. Our stanza is the third. Neither sweetheart nor father brings gold.
For melodic relationship cf. **SharpK I 162, No. 23B ('Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard'), measures 1-2. Scale: Hexatonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: abb1a1 (2,2,2,2).
Listen: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/files/original/0ead7c08756402f7ee63e6039c8e04f0.mp3
Oh Georgie, hold up your head,
And hold it for a while,
I think I see your sweetheart a-coming
Over 'bout one hundred miles.
Oh sweetheart, have you brought me any gold,
Or have you bought me free[1]?
For I have stole a silver cup,
And hang-ed I must be.
Oh Georgie, I hain't brought you no gold
Nor I hain't brought you free[1],
For I have come for to see you hung,
Right on the gallows tree.
Oh Georgie, hold up your head,
And hold it for a while,
I think I see your father a-coming
Over 'bout one hundred miles.
Oh father, have you brought me any gold,
Or have you bought me free[1]
For I have stole a silver cup,
And hang-ed I must be.
Oh Georgie, I hain't brought you no gold
Nor I hain't brought you free[1],
For I have come for to see you hung,
Right on the gallows tree.
Oh Georgie, hold up your head,
And hold it there a while,
I think I see your mother a-coming
Over 'bout one hundred miles.
Oh mother, have you brought me any gold,
Or have you bought me free[1]
For I have stole a silver cup,
And hang-ed I must be.
Oh Georgie, I hain't brought you no gold
Nor I hain't brought you free[1],
For I have come for to see you hung,
Right on the gallows tree.
And hang-ed I must be.
Oh Georgie, hold up your head,
And hold it there a while,
I think I see your children a-coming
Over 'bout one hundred miles.
Oh children, have you brought me any gold,
Or have you bought me free[1]
For I have stole a silver cup,
And hang-ed I must be.
Oh Georgie, I hain't brought you no gold
Nor I hain't brought you free[1],
For I have come for to see you hung,
Right on the gallows tree.
1. "my fee," is confused with "have you come to set me free."